The new year has kicked off on a reflective and renewing note for members of the CCMC Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC).
On 4 January 2025 at the annual LCEC retreat, the pastoral team, church leaders and chairpersons of the various church ministries came together for a day of worship, devotion and deep discussions, to see our church through the coming year and beyond.
Following on the 2024 theme of ‘Filled with the Spirit to Reach Out’, the LCEC dove into the 2025 theme of ‘Strengthened Spiritually to Serve Faithfully’, which aims to further build on and strengthen our overarching church vision.
Pastor-in-Charge Rev David Gwee shared, “This year, our theme is to be Strengthened Spiritually to Serve Faithfully. We continue to focus on the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. We want to put emphasis on serving faithfully, giving clarity and purposefulness that we must act on our spirituality. We not only spread the gospel as in reaching out, but we also carry out acts of service to fulfil the second part of the Great Commandment to love others as ourselves.”
In his devotional, Pastor Rufus Chan offered an uplifting message. “The devotion on Isaiah 40:29-31 encourages us as leaders of CCMC to embrace two key principles for strength and renewal in our leadership journey. First, acknowledge our weakness for strength. Leadership can be exhausting when we try to carry it alone, but true strength comes from admitting our limitations and relying on God’s power. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in our weakness. By embracing our dependence on Him, we create space for His strength to sustain us in the work He has called us to do.”
He further exhorted, “Secondly, wait on the Lord for renewal. Waiting isn't just about slowing down, it is about deepening our relationship with God. Waiting involves seeking His presence, meditating on His Word, and resting in His promises. It equips us to lead with alignment and strengthens us like eagles to soar above life’s storms. Leadership is not about self-sufficiency but about trusting God’s provision, aligning ourselves to His will and remembering that it’s not about us – it’s about Him.”
Lay Leader Leslie Wong added, “When we serve in the frontline, let's watch each other's backs as brothers and sisters in Christ as well. And, to make the most of our limited resources and opportunities, when deciding our priorities, one more guiding question to add to the other questions could be: What does a thriving ministry looks like, as part of God's church? Such a description can help in goal setting as well as co-opting of more co-servants.”
LCEC Chairperson Chia Choon Hoong rounded up the retreat with a call to look forward: “What a great way to start the new year! As the church leaders looked back on the past 30 years of CCMC and all that has been achieved for God’s Kingdom, we engaged in active and passionate discussions to chart the way ahead for 2025 and beyond. Whilst we acknowledged and identified many challenges and opportunities going forward, we also recognised that CCMC is in a position of strength. We are a thriving intergenerational church blessed with committed members and leaders. We have many active ministries and exciting ideas to take the church forward in support of our vision ‘To know God deeply and make Him known widely’. Together, with God’s blessings and guidance, we are confident that CCMC will continue to grow from strength to strength. To God be the glory.”
Let us join the pastoral team and LCEC to pray for the entire church body to be strengthened spiritually to serve faithfully.
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